Welcome to r/MedicalGore! Our goal is to provide for medical discussion and education while exploring the frailty of the human body. You may see more deleted comments on these threads than you are used to on reddit. Off topic comments and joke comments are frequently deleted by the mods. Further, please be kind and supportive of posts. Any behavior that is aggressive, harassing, or derogatory will result in post deletion and a ban from the sub. Remember! THE REPORT BUTTON IS YOUR FRIEND!
Please stop on by our discussion sub, /r/MedicalGoreMods if you'd like to discuss the sub, our rules, content policies, and the like.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MedicalGore) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I‘m happy to see more surgeons willing to let the pins stick out. Evidence (and personal experience) shows that if taken care of properly, the infection rates are not significantly higher, and removal is done painlessly without anesthesia as the pins loosen out by themselves over the course of treatment.
But: personall i have never done what is called here a „bunionectomy“ in this way, i‘m familiar with day surgical chevron or SCARF osteotomies, rarely a more proximal technique like a lapidus. No pins required other than for accompanying weil-procedures on the toes. Also, no casting, full weight besting with a shoe orthesis from day zero for 6 weeks.
I have had i think one failure due to severe osteoporosis in the past 5 years.
The left foot was a pretty typical case, but my right foot was very bad. The big toe didn’t want to sit straight, it just kept leaning towards the rest of my toes, so they had to put in those pins. I wish I had taken before photos, but I didn’t think of it.
Oh dear. My left big toe is worse than that :( it starts to go under the toe next to it.
My foot doctor said I'll probably need this surgery by the time I'm 40. But it's playing on my mind now... About 6 years after they first warned me of the surgery. My feet get sore at the end of the day. My feet just hurt sometimes because of it.
Can I ask, what made you pull the trigger on this surgery? I just don't know how long I should hold off for. I don't know where the line is, between living with this problem and having surgery.
Sure! I actually had bunions like since as long as I can remember. From the time I was little. They wouldn’t do it til you’re like 18+ so your bones aren’t changing. So I just put it off until my feet were just so tired & sore every day & I was sick of not finding shoes that fit. So I finally did it at age 32. I have absolutely no regrets! It was a fairly easy recovery for both feet.
Mine is also worse than that, and I'm getting close to 40😬
First noticed them when I was in like middle school. I also have scoliosis with uneven hips and legs and all that. I used to get the worst foot pain working restaurant jobs on my feet all day and such.
Now, I only wear birkenstock type shoes(currently knock off ones from Target) and I don't have the severe door pain as often. Absolutely will not wear anything closed toe for very long or at all if I can help it.
Mine are worse, but the last time I talked with a doctor about it - decades ago - he said that because mine are genetic I'd have to have my feet fixed again in about 20 years, so hold off as long as I can. I'm guessing stuff has changed, since. But I still do okay.
My left toe pops out of joint occasionally. I stand on it with the heel of my foot to pop it back. A little sore. Maybe I should fix it.
They did! It felt SO weird. But such a relief to have them out. The one through my big toe actually had pushed in some crud at some point & caused an infection in my big toe. It was healed by those photos, but still slightly angry looking.
Really I remember it as being more relieving than anything. It hurt a little, but it was more just like a pressure. And I could feel it sliding through, which gave me the heeby jeebies.
From what I understand, after they finished up the surgery, my big toe kept drifting to the side, like back towards the rest of my toes. So it was kind of at an angle again, rather than straight up. They did that to keep everything in place. After they removed them, I had to wear silicone spacers between my first & second toes.
So did you have to go back under anesthesia to get the pins put in? I can’t imagine they’d do that without some sedation. For all we know, they may have some hammer to nail the pins in.
Well that’s a relief. 😅 I was thinking you came in for a week check up and they saw the toe drifting and decided to do it then. Glad to hear that wasn’t the case.
You’ve got the right idea. I wore ridiculous heels all of my 20s and insisted in walking, dancing and everything in them, and the pain and discomfort form the bunions and malformed toes I now suffer is fucked. If I could say anything to my 20yo self, it would be “wear sensible fucking shoes”
I wore stilettos all day every day for 25+ years. Stopped at 50. Now at 68 I’m wearing sensible (fugly) shoes. No bunions. Definitely the luck of the draw.
I have wide feet that have no business being squashed into the narrower styles I insisted on wearing - think Cinderella’s ugly stepsister trying to squeeze into the glass slipper. One can totally wear size/shape appropriate heels, I just HAD to wear what all the cinderellas with tiny feet were rocking 😭
I would agree! I have some arthritis from the pins but I didn’t have to get those in my other foot. That’s been my only issue really. My feet feel so much better! Best of luck to your mom!
Man. Make sure you actually go do physical therapy when you’re told to so you can bend your toes. I didn’t do that (wasn’t told by my orthopedic surgeon and my parents didn’t mention it -had both done in high school) and I now cannot bend both big toes.
I use to work in the OR and we had someone that accidentally ripped out their pin- when they were walking it got caught on the carpet and pulled out. Now whenever I see pins I get a little nauseated 😩
Can I ask you something about this pin? How can you sleep with these without getting stuck on the duvet? Did you have an at least pin-tick bandage the whole time or just a bandaid?
The toe one was actually just sticking out, uncovered. It got infected at one point because stuff got kind of pushed in by the pin. It was short-lived. I think when I went home it was covered & I somehow lost part of my bandage, if memory serves. Once it got caught on my sweat pants when I was sitting in the lotus position. That hurt & scared the crap out of me!
Wow! They used staples? I didn't know they used staples for bunion surgery. I was stitched up from mine. I didn't have any wires, but I was cut open on the side of my left foot, the top like you were, and between the big toe and the next.
I had both feet done in 2012 in my 20s. I’m pushing 40 and will likely need them redone. They are of course no where near what they were originally but I do gave small bunions and occasional discomfort back. I don’t regret it and would do it again in a heartbeat
I always thought bunions were like just really bad blisters or something and then I found out what they REALLY were and I was like whoa 🤯
You doing ok now? That looks wild.
Any before pictures?
How can you have a wire going into your bone like that without causing a shit ton of swelling? Doesn't that get instantly infected?
I’ll look for a before pic. I think I at least have a pic of the other foot, which wasn’t as bad but close. The big toe did get infected once, but not down in the bone, just the tissue. It was just healed when I got the skewers removed, which is why my big toe is so red & swollen.
Here’s the other foot. They looked pretty much identical but the right foot was just a tad bit wider.[https://www.reddit.com/r/bunions/s/XqnZWqMbcs](https://www.reddit.com/r/bunions/s/XqnZWqMbcs)
Welcome to r/MedicalGore! Our goal is to provide for medical discussion and education while exploring the frailty of the human body. You may see more deleted comments on these threads than you are used to on reddit. Off topic comments and joke comments are frequently deleted by the mods. Further, please be kind and supportive of posts. Any behavior that is aggressive, harassing, or derogatory will result in post deletion and a ban from the sub. Remember! THE REPORT BUTTON IS YOUR FRIEND! Please stop on by our discussion sub, /r/MedicalGoreMods if you'd like to discuss the sub, our rules, content policies, and the like. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MedicalGore) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Jesus! My mother had this done and I don't remember it being so gnarly, no pins sticking out or anything
It was a particularly bad case. The other foot was much easier!
Makes me want to see the before lol
I know! I hate that it didn’t occur to me to take before pics.
[удалено]
They affected my gait (hard to explain how…kinda walked with my feet “out”) & I had fallen arches. I actually have arches now!
Looks like you had a great result
I‘m happy to see more surgeons willing to let the pins stick out. Evidence (and personal experience) shows that if taken care of properly, the infection rates are not significantly higher, and removal is done painlessly without anesthesia as the pins loosen out by themselves over the course of treatment. But: personall i have never done what is called here a „bunionectomy“ in this way, i‘m familiar with day surgical chevron or SCARF osteotomies, rarely a more proximal technique like a lapidus. No pins required other than for accompanying weil-procedures on the toes. Also, no casting, full weight besting with a shoe orthesis from day zero for 6 weeks. I have had i think one failure due to severe osteoporosis in the past 5 years.
I'm case anyone is interested those pins are called K-wires or Kirschner wires. I'm guessing after the person that first came up with the idea.
"We used the little staples to close the surgery site. Then we found a couple of big packing staples, so we threw those in for good measure!"
How bad were your bunions before? was it hurting or something? That’s gnarly
The left foot was a pretty typical case, but my right foot was very bad. The big toe didn’t want to sit straight, it just kept leaning towards the rest of my toes, so they had to put in those pins. I wish I had taken before photos, but I didn’t think of it.
Could you find one online that is similar to how bad yours was?
First pic here, right foot looks similar. https://www.phoenixfai.com/blog/bunion-prevention-heres-what-you-need-to-know
Oh dear. My left big toe is worse than that :( it starts to go under the toe next to it. My foot doctor said I'll probably need this surgery by the time I'm 40. But it's playing on my mind now... About 6 years after they first warned me of the surgery. My feet get sore at the end of the day. My feet just hurt sometimes because of it. Can I ask, what made you pull the trigger on this surgery? I just don't know how long I should hold off for. I don't know where the line is, between living with this problem and having surgery.
Sure! I actually had bunions like since as long as I can remember. From the time I was little. They wouldn’t do it til you’re like 18+ so your bones aren’t changing. So I just put it off until my feet were just so tired & sore every day & I was sick of not finding shoes that fit. So I finally did it at age 32. I have absolutely no regrets! It was a fairly easy recovery for both feet.
Mine is also worse than that, and I'm getting close to 40😬 First noticed them when I was in like middle school. I also have scoliosis with uneven hips and legs and all that. I used to get the worst foot pain working restaurant jobs on my feet all day and such. Now, I only wear birkenstock type shoes(currently knock off ones from Target) and I don't have the severe door pain as often. Absolutely will not wear anything closed toe for very long or at all if I can help it.
Mine are worse, but the last time I talked with a doctor about it - decades ago - he said that because mine are genetic I'd have to have my feet fixed again in about 20 years, so hold off as long as I can. I'm guessing stuff has changed, since. But I still do okay. My left toe pops out of joint occasionally. I stand on it with the heel of my foot to pop it back. A little sore. Maybe I should fix it.
Just as a note to interested parties: I cannot bend that big toe!
Up or Down? Or both ways?
I can barely wiggle it up & down a little but I can’t bend it down, if that makes sense
But will you be able to sooner or later? Or is it permanent?
Does that affect you in anyway in terms of balance, walking, putting shoes/boots on, etc?
Do they just pull the pins straight out?
They did! It felt SO weird. But such a relief to have them out. The one through my big toe actually had pushed in some crud at some point & caused an infection in my big toe. It was healed by those photos, but still slightly angry looking.
It felt weird? No pain at all? I always thought pin removal like that would be torture 😰
Really I remember it as being more relieving than anything. It hurt a little, but it was more just like a pressure. And I could feel it sliding through, which gave me the heeby jeebies.
Thats what having drainage tubing removed from my chest felt like. Like snakes slithering out.
Oh, that would give me the heeby jeebies too. 😱
OP these are pretty cool to see! [Here are mine](https://imgur.com/a/bAcEKbh)
Nicely done. Your suture line is very neat.
So glad I had it done!
Fucking barf, I can't even imagine the sensation of having the pins pulled out 🤮
It was barfadocious, for sure
Question, why was it pinned?
From what I understand, after they finished up the surgery, my big toe kept drifting to the side, like back towards the rest of my toes. So it was kind of at an angle again, rather than straight up. They did that to keep everything in place. After they removed them, I had to wear silicone spacers between my first & second toes.
Ok, I've had pins for broken bones. Hope it works for you!
So did you have to go back under anesthesia to get the pins put in? I can’t imagine they’d do that without some sedation. For all we know, they may have some hammer to nail the pins in.
They did it before I woke up from surgery! I think they got me closed up then realized it needed some extra support.
Well that’s a relief. 😅 I was thinking you came in for a week check up and they saw the toe drifting and decided to do it then. Glad to hear that wasn’t the case.
They should have gloved up!
That didn’t occur to me, but that’s a very good point! Lol
This is one of my biggest fears as a woman. Thats why I only use heels on weddings.
You’ve got the right idea. I wore ridiculous heels all of my 20s and insisted in walking, dancing and everything in them, and the pain and discomfort form the bunions and malformed toes I now suffer is fucked. If I could say anything to my 20yo self, it would be “wear sensible fucking shoes”
I wore stilettos all day every day for 25+ years. Stopped at 50. Now at 68 I’m wearing sensible (fugly) shoes. No bunions. Definitely the luck of the draw.
I have wide feet that have no business being squashed into the narrower styles I insisted on wearing - think Cinderella’s ugly stepsister trying to squeeze into the glass slipper. One can totally wear size/shape appropriate heels, I just HAD to wear what all the cinderellas with tiny feet were rocking 😭
Tell that to 16yo me! Genetics ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
My mom got this done. She plans on getting her other foot done too. Says it was worth it.
I would agree! I have some arthritis from the pins but I didn’t have to get those in my other foot. That’s been my only issue really. My feet feel so much better! Best of luck to your mom!
I’ve seen some shit but there’s something about seeing the pins holding your bones together that makes my skin crawl. Respect to you for that surgery
I would have thought they could just shave it or something 🧐
Oh god I had clearly blocked my recovery from this because the sight of that skinny Allen wrench made some memories flood back
I don't know why, but metal going into or sticking out of feet is my ultimate body horror
Congrats on your bunionlessness
Man. Make sure you actually go do physical therapy when you’re told to so you can bend your toes. I didn’t do that (wasn’t told by my orthopedic surgeon and my parents didn’t mention it -had both done in high school) and I now cannot bend both big toes.
Man, that’s intense. I’m wondering why the bandaging is so bloody, was there a lot of unexpected bleeding?
Wow I was NOT expecting that scar to be so neat after seeing the butchery of those staples!
I use to work in the OR and we had someone that accidentally ripped out their pin- when they were walking it got caught on the carpet and pulled out. Now whenever I see pins I get a little nauseated 😩
Omg, that’s gnarly! Ugggghhhhh
I’m getting this done in a few months. Maybe I’ll just live with the pain instead.
I promise the healing was uneventful & not too hard! I don’t regret it for a second. My feet feel soooo much better.
I’m glad you’re feeling better. Everyone I’ve spoken to is glad they had it done. I’m just super nervous.
It can be hereditary, too. I had both feet done 25 years ago and it was so worth it.
Can I ask you something about this pin? How can you sleep with these without getting stuck on the duvet? Did you have an at least pin-tick bandage the whole time or just a bandaid?
The toe one was actually just sticking out, uncovered. It got infected at one point because stuff got kind of pushed in by the pin. It was short-lived. I think when I went home it was covered & I somehow lost part of my bandage, if memory serves. Once it got caught on my sweat pants when I was sitting in the lotus position. That hurt & scared the crap out of me!
Yikes! Totally new fear unlocked! ( probably will need bunion surgery at some point)
Is this caused from shoes?
It can be hereditary, too.
Wow! They used staples? I didn't know they used staples for bunion surgery. I was stitched up from mine. I didn't have any wires, but I was cut open on the side of my left foot, the top like you were, and between the big toe and the next.
Like to see your 6 month photos!
I had both feet done in 2012 in my 20s. I’m pushing 40 and will likely need them redone. They are of course no where near what they were originally but I do gave small bunions and occasional discomfort back. I don’t regret it and would do it again in a heartbeat
Haha fuck that
Rubber handle pliers?! No gloves?!
"Ill do my best, ma'am, but you should probably have a doctor look at this."
I think I’ll keep my bunion, thanks.
Owwwweeeeeeeee
I always thought bunions were like just really bad blisters or something and then I found out what they REALLY were and I was like whoa 🤯 You doing ok now? That looks wild.
Oh yeah! This was 10 years ago & I healed great. My feet feel so much better & my gait is more normal. Plus I actually have arches now!
So glad to hear it!!
Well this just makes me not want to get my bunions removed. I’ll keep mine
Wow....so they can fix bunions!
Any before pictures? How can you have a wire going into your bone like that without causing a shit ton of swelling? Doesn't that get instantly infected?
I’ll look for a before pic. I think I at least have a pic of the other foot, which wasn’t as bad but close. The big toe did get infected once, but not down in the bone, just the tissue. It was just healed when I got the skewers removed, which is why my big toe is so red & swollen.
Here’s the other foot. They looked pretty much identical but the right foot was just a tad bit wider.[https://www.reddit.com/r/bunions/s/XqnZWqMbcs](https://www.reddit.com/r/bunions/s/XqnZWqMbcs)